Hunting the Devil
by hummerhouse
Summary: The Tengu Shredder has been destroyed and New York City is slowly putting itself back together. Many people fled the city during its dark time, and some of them aren't coming back. When an old friend asks for the Turtles help, they immediately go into action. It might have been better to think it through first. Written for the Hunter's Grimoire fanbook.
1. Chapter 1

Hunting the Devil  
part 1

_ It had been two days since I'd first opened the book. It was thick and quite old, the cover warped and the pages within tattered along the edges._

_ My initial curiosity upon finding the tome had me reading a few pages. I quickly came to the conclusion that this was a personal journal and that its author had chronicled things that were much too fantastic to be believed._

_ So much so that I had set the book aside quickly. I wanted to scoff at what this person had written, but something deep within me told me that all of it was real. Real enough to frighten me._

_ The two days that had passed was due to my own indecision as to whether I should burn the book or explore it further. Natural curiosity won out. Someday that curiosity may be the death of me._

_ Some of the pages had a special mark in their margins. I wondered if this was idle doodling or if there was a special meaning to the symbol. Finally I could take it no longer and picked up the book again._

_ Settling into my chair, door locked and double bolted, I open the book and turn it to one of the marked pages. I take a deep breath and then exhale to release the trepidation I've started to feel. I am determined to read this entry from start to finish._

_ Pray that the lights don't go out and that there are no strange noises within my home. I might suffer a coronary – or worse._

_ Here I go . . . _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Yo Donny! What are ya' doing? A couple of TV stations are back online and one of them is showing a sports movie lineup to die for. I thought ya' might join us for that," Raphael said, striding over to his brother's computer station.

"Sorry," Donatello replied without looking up. He was typing fast, four of his monitors flashing information at a speed that no one but the genius could possibly have followed.

Raph leaned over his shoulder to stare at the screens and then frowned. "Seriously? We just got done kicking the Tengu Shredder's ass, and the first thing ya' do is start playing online so ya' can look for more trouble?"

"Something is bothering me," Don said, finally glancing over his shoulder at his brother. "I don't know exactly what it is, call it a gut feeling. The Shredder unleashed so much mystical power when he tried to bring about his dark chaos that I can't believe it just disappeared with him. And I'm not online. No one is except the government."

"Then what's all this?" Raph asked, jabbing a finger at one of the monitors.

"Bishop's communication infrastructure," Don said, returning to his task. "Some cell towers are up so I hacked in via the telecommunications network."

"Are ya' out of your mind?" Raph waved a hand in front of Don's face. "I don't know much about computers and shit, but even I know if ya' go poking around in Bishop's stuff he'll find out."

"That's why I'm doing it in short bursts," Don said. He tapped a few more keys and then the screens all went blank. "There. I have all of today's information without his knowing that I've been snooping."

"Peachy." Raph leaned a hip against the table and crossed his arms. "Think ya' can manage to walk away from your tech for a little while to hang with your brothers?"

Donatello flashed him a wide smile. "Sure, Raph."

An hour later the four turtle brothers and their father sat in front of their television array watching "Rudy" and snacking on junk food. Don was on a throw rug off to one side of the couch, an array of electronics spread out in front of him.

Raph leaned over from his spot on the end of the couch and whispered, "Just couldn't leave the tech alone, could ya'?"

"It's not tech," Don said. "It's a ham radio. I started building my own a while back and never finished it. This is the perfect opportunity for me to test it since the only people on the airways right now are ham operators."

"I thought ya' said some cell towers were up again," Raph said.

"They are, but we're under martial law. Wireless communications are limited to emergency use only," Don explained.

"Which apparently applies to everyone except a certain nerdy ninja turtle," Raph said with a grin.

"Shh!" Michelangelo glared at his brothers. "Could you two can it? I can't hear the TV."

Raph grabbed a pillow off the couch and threw it at Mikey's face. It connected with a solid _thwap_.

"Ya' got a nerve," Raph growled at him. "I can't even count the number of times your loud mouth made me miss parts of a show."

Mikey started to argue but Master Splinter quickly intervened. "My sons, please. Have we not had enough excitement? Save your squabbles for another time. I would like to enjoy a quiet evening."

There was a sudden burst of static and all eyes turned to Donatello. Said turtle wore a sheepish expression as he adjusted the audio frequency gain on his equipment and then quickly donned a headset.

Rolling his eyes, Raph leaned back and relaxed again. Leonardo, who was next to him, said in a hushed voice, "You know he needs to fiddle with something. Sitting still is difficult for Donny."

"That don't mean we shouldn't remind him now and again to join family activities," Raph muttered.

Leo left that alone, knowing that Raph was right. Donatello had a mind that none of his brothers understood or would ever understand. They all benefited from his talents and were grateful. If that meant they needed to remind him to arrive on time for practice, or to sleep and eat, or even just hang with them, it was a small price to pay.

During the next hour Don continued to fiddle with his ham radio. Raph was just about to ask if he was actually getting anything when Don excitedly removed his headset.

"Guys, you have to hear this," Don said, unplugging the headset. "I set the passband tuning to a wider filter so that I could hear signals from further away."

Static burst from the speaker and then, _"Cq, cq, cq . . . this is K2DYX standing by for Green Vengeance. Green Vengeance reply with call sign."_

"Green Vengeance?" Raph sat up straight and stared at Don. "Hey, that's me. I mean, that's what I call myself sometimes."

Mikey snorted. "Sometimes? Try all the time."

"Why would anyone be calling for you on a ham radio?" Leo asked.

"Hell if I know," Raph replied.

"It sounds like a kid," Don said. The message was repeated. "Does that sound like anyone you know?"

Raph frowned, concentrating on the signal which was broadcast again. "Yeah, come to think of it, that does sound like a kid I helped once. How do ya' respond on that thing?"

Don keyed his microphone and spoke. "K2DYX this is K4TMNT. Can you identify by name?"

_"K4TMNT, this is Tyler. I'm looking for Raphael."_

Handing the microphone to Raph, Don said, "Start with his call letters so anyone listening will know who you mean to reach and then you can talk to him."

Nodding, Raph said, "K2DYX this is Raphael. We met in an alley."

The answering voice went up a notch, probably from excitement. _"K4TMNT, I was in a garbage bin. I'm so glad I reached you, Raphael."_

"K2DYX it's nice to hear your voice. Why are ya' looking for me?" Raph asked.

_"K4TMNT, it's my mom. She's missing. I need your help,"_ Tyler answered.

Before Raph could respond, Leo asked him, "Why wouldn't he go to the police? Why is he calling for you?"

"I told ya' about Tyler and me," Raph said. "Remember? Back when we were searching for Master Splinter and didn't know he was with the Utroms. Tyler's mom is a reporter."

"All the more reason Tyler should contact the authorities," Leo said.

"K2DYX, have ya' gotten help from anyone else to look for your mom?" Raph asked.

_"K4TMNT, I've tried,"_ Tyler said, sounding upset. _"It's a long story but they won't look for her. You're my only hope."_

Raph glanced around at his brothers and then keyed the microphone. "K2DYX, tell me where ya' are. I don't want to talk on this squawk box anymore."

There was a moment of silence and they began to think they'd lost Tyler's signal. Then he came back on and gave Raph directions on where to find him before he signed off.

"He's in Jersey?" Mikey asked. "Nobody volunteers to go to Jersey."

"Actually, from his directions, I believe he's in or near the Pine Barrens in southern New Jersey," Don said. "That's actually a very picturesque area."

"If you like really big mosquitos," Mikey said.

"Enough talking," Raph said, jumping up from the couch. "Are ya' guys going with or am I taking the shell cycle and making this a lone mission?"

"No lone missions," Leo said, rising as well. He looked at Don. "Can you pack that radio up?"

"Sure," Don said. "I designed it to fit in a backpack. Give me thirty minutes."

"My sons, please take care," Master Splinter admonished. "Despite all that has happened, you must still remain unknown to humans."

"We'll be careful, Father," Leo assured him.

A half an hour later Raph took the wheel of the Tortuga Bros moving van and pointed it towards New Jersey. It was darker than usual because many of street lamps had yet to be repaired. Traffic heading out of the city was very light.

"Which route are you taking?" Don asked him.

"Thought I'd take the GW and avoid the tunnels," Raph said. "Don't know if the tolls are working again, but we'll only have to deal with one if I go that way."

"There will probably be heavier traffic coming into New York than going out," Don said. "A lot of people fled the city when things got weird."

"'Got weird'", Raph said, glancing at his brother. "That's the understatement of the year."

It was around midnight when the brothers arrived at their destination. It turned out to be a small general store which was closed for the night. There was no sign of anyone in the parking lot and the two other buildings along that stretch of road were also devoid of life.

Hopping out of the van, the turtles looked around and then at each other. "Now what?" Mikey asked.

"The kid's got a gift for hiding," Raph said. Raising his voice, he called out, "Tyler, we're here!"

At first they heard nothing and then came the faint squeak of wheels. Spinning around, they saw a young boy on a bicycle riding towards them. The dim light attached to the handlebars barely illuminated the faint path he had taken through the wooded area opposite the store.

"Raphael, I'm so glad you came!" Tyler exclaimed, hopping off his bike to give Raph a quick hug.

Raph rumpled his hair. "Damn kid, ya' got big. How old are ya' now?"

"I'm thirteen," Tyler said. He looked at the other turtles. "I'm guessing these are your brothers."

"What gave it away?" Mike asked with a grin.

"That's Michelangelo," Raph said, pointing at him. In turn he indicated the other two. "That's Leonardo and next to him is Donatello."

Mikey reached out to shake Tyler's hand. "Call me Mikey. So what's up, little dude? I hear your mom is missing."

Tyler nodded, his expression solemn. "She disappeared from this area. Mom came out here to do a story about people who have gone missing over the last couple of weeks and now she's one of them."

Leo frowned. "What have the police said about it?"

"It's kind of a long story," Tyler told him. "Maybe we could go back to where I'm staying? I have a friend here who's been trying to help me."

Before he could move, Raph set a hand on his shoulder. "Tyler, ya' know we can't be seen by people."

"Don't worry. Elliott's a good guy. Trust me, he won't care how you look," Tyler said. "I already told him how you helped save my mom once before."

"I sure hope ya' know what you're doing," Raph said, sounding doubtful.

"Here, put your bike in the back," Don said, opening the rear doors of the van.

Once the bike was stowed, Tyler climbed into the passenger seat next to Raph and gave him directions. The route took them into the woods on a little traveled dirt road.

"How the shell did ya' get out here?" Raph asked.

"Elliott sent a car for me," Tyler said. "If he hadn't, I would have hitched."

Raph's tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth. "_Tch_. Yeah, I'll bet ya' would have. Ya' haven't changed."

"I'm not as hotheaded as I was," Tyler said, offering Raph a genuine smile. "I did call for help this time."

"Okay kid, I'll give ya' that," Raph replied, returning the smile.

The farther they drove into the woods, the darker it became. Light from the moon and stars was blotted out by the thick overhanging trees.

Shrubbery and various herbaceous plants crept onto the narrow road, scratching at the sides of the van. In some spots Raph was forced to slow to a crawl in order to creep beneath the lower hanging branches.

Even with the bright headlights on, Raph wasn't able to see very far ahead of him. Pot holes dotted the roadway, further slowing their progress.

"How'd ya' even know about this place, Tyler? Ya' been here before? Where exactly are we going?" Raph finally asked when the silence inside the van grew oppressive.

"My friend Elliott lives here," Tyler said. "We're both ham radio operators and talk all the time. When mom went missing and the police wouldn't help, I told Elliott that I had a friend who would know what to do. Only I didn't know how to reach you. He's the one who said that if you were as resourceful as I said you were, that you'd have found a way to communicate with people."

"That's all Donny," Raph said. "Ya' can thank him for hearing your message." Something scraped hard against the side of the van near the roof, rocking the vehicle violently. "Crap!" Raph exclaimed, slowing down even more. "So how did ya' even see where ya' were going on your bike? It's black as pitch out there."

"My bike lamp helped some, at least in keeping me from running into trees. Mostly you can feel the dirt track under the wheels," Tyler explained. Almost as an afterthought he added, "I rode pretty fast."

Raph glanced at him. "Kinda creepy out there, huh?"

"You have no idea," Tyler replied. Raph was about to ask him to elaborate, but Tyler leaned forward and pointed ahead of them. "There's a right turn coming up. You'll need to take that."

The turn was actually a driveway and was slightly better maintained than the road itself. Undergrowth had been cut back and gravel set down to smooth the path.

In a couple of minutes a home came into view. It was a rustic looking two-story structure, with a red colored metal roof and covered front and side porches.

Though the driveway continued on past the house and up ahead was a jeep that had been parked in a clearing, Tyler directed Raph to stop in front of the house. There was a single light brightening the front porch but it did little to dispel the surrounding gloom.

"Let's go in," Tyler said, hopping out of the van as soon as Raph put it into park. "Elliott said he'd wait up until I got back."

Raph leaned over quickly, catching the boy's attention before he could close the door. "Look Tyler, it's probably better if we wait in the van."

"No, really Raph, you guys can come inside," Tyler said. "Trust me, Elliott won't be a problem. He's a pretty solitary person."

"What about his parents?" Raph asked.

Tyler chuckled. "Elliott's not a kid."

He slammed the door and jogged up to the porch without giving Raph a chance to ask anything else.

Leo moved forward to lean over the driver's seat. "He seems pretty confident about Elliott. Are you sure about this? It's been nearly five years since you last saw Tyler."

"He's a tough kid and he's a little impulsive, but Tyler's got a good head on his shoulders," Raph said. "We can hang back once we're inside and size things up."

"This is so contrary to our training," Leo mumbled as he and his brothers climbed out of the van.

Once the turtles were gathered on the porch, Tyler opened the door and preceded them inside. To their surprise, there were no lights on anywhere in the interior of the house.

"Guess your pal decided not to wait up after all," Raph said.

"Welcome."

The deep voice coming out of the dark made the turtles jump and each of them instinctively reached for their weapons.

"Guys, it's okay," Tyler said, setting a hand on Raph's wrist. "This is my friend. Hey Elliott, the lights are all off."

"Forgive me," Elliott said. "Kit, hall lights."

Immediately a light snapped on, revealing both the hallway and part of the front room where the turtles were standing. It also gave them their first look at Elliott.

He was middle aged, with a medium dark complexion and thick black hair. Elliott was under six feet tall, had a stocky build and a slight paunch around his midsection. He was dressed all in black, from his trousers to his sweater, including the completely blacked out lenses on the glasses he wore.

Elliott was quite obviously blind.

Raph jabbed Tyler's arm, indicated Elliott with a twist of his head, and whispered, "Ya' know, ya' could have told us _that_ to start off with instead of making us worry."

"I'm afraid that Tyler has a flair for the dramatic, even at my expense," Elliott said, clearly having heard Raph's comment. "He told me that his friend had a preference for remaining unseen. Clearly that's not a problem for me."

"Elliott, this is Raphael and his brothers Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo," Tyler said. "Guys, this is Elliott Ballard."

"Somebody had parents with a sense of humor," Elliot said. "Could each of you speak your name for me, please? I'll be able to tell you apart by your voices."

The brothers did as he asked, giving him not only their full name, but the shortened versions as well. Elliott kept his head tilted to one side, a concentrated expression on his face as each turtle spoke.

"Good, now that's out of the way we can get down to business." Elliott shuffled into the room and waved towards the sitting area in the front room. "Let's all sit down. I don't like standing for any longer than I have to."

As they moved to take seats, Don said, "Elliott Ballard. There's an author by that name."

"That would be me," Elliott said. "Fortunately, storytelling doesn't require eyesight."

"Dude, how do you write if you can't . . . ?" Raph slapped Mikey on the back of his head before he could finish the sentence. "Ow! Hey, that's a legit question!"

"I would imagine that Mr. Ballard uses software that allows blind or visually impaired people to navigate the computer and access most of its functions," Don said. "Assistive technology such as screen readers allow a blind person to interact with high-tech products. There's even a text-to-speech feature that's essentially a voice that communicates what's on the screen."

"Thank you, Einstein," Raph muttered.

"I take it that Donatello is the brains of the outfit," Elliott said. "Please call me Elliott. Only my publisher and my banker call me Mr. Ballard."

"We'd like to hear how your mother came to be missing, Tyler," Leo said, pulling the group back to the subject that had brought the turtles to New Jersey. "Why wouldn't the police help you?"

"That's the long story I was telling you about," Tyler answered, glancing at Elliott.

As though sensing the boy's eyes on him, Elliott said, "We'll start at the beginning, shall we? Tyler is here in the Pine Barrens because his mother went missing from here. You know that she is a reporter?"

"We do," Don said. "Is that how you know Tyler? Because you and his mother are both writers?"

"No. I met Tyler first, over our shared love of the ham radio," Elliott said. "Normally I don't talk to children, but Tyler has a quick and agile mind and a talent for storytelling. I didn't realize his age until after we'd become friends."

"Elliott's been mentoring me," Tyler said. "Someday I'm going to be an author too."

"Not a reporter like your mom?" Mikey asked.

Tyler shook his head. "I don't think I could stick to just the facts. I have too much imagination."

"Unfortunately, the police think so too," Elliott said. "New York City has its own set of challenges right now and plenty of reporters covering them, so the mystery that brought Tyler's mom out here hasn't gotten much attention. It's my fault she became aware of our problem in the first place."

He stopped to clear his throat before continuing. "I was telling Tyler about people who have disappeared from the area over a two week period and he mentioned it to her. His mom talked to me about it and got interested enough to travel out this way."

"So you met with her?" Leo asked.

"First day she was here," Elliott told him. "I know her work and she knows mine. Mrs. Jaffey is a fine reporter and a tenacious one. I talked her into staying in my guest room and using this house as her base of operations. She was here for two days and a night. She went missing on the second night."

"These disappearances, they're all local people or visitors?" Don asked.

Elliott leaned back in his chair. "Visitors. The locals are not going into the woods right now."

Don looked at Leo. "That coincides with the timeframe of our defeat of the Tengu Shredder."

"Is that the gut feeling ya' were talking about, Donny?" Raph asked.

"I suppose so," Don said. "I know that when he was battling us he was forced to pull his dark magic back into himself, but I wondered if it was even possible to retrieve it all. Shredder isn't the only evil thing to have ever existed. If his magic touched something, perhaps some evil that had been dormant, then that evil would have been awakened. It mightn't have even taken much of that demon magic to do the trick."

"Is this what happened in New York?" Elliott asked. "There hasn't been much real information. All the news media reports fall into the generic 'natural disaster' category."

"You don't seem surprised at hearing us talk about magic and demons, Mr. B . . . Elliott," Don said.

"I've lived here in the Pine Barrens for the last thirty plus years," Elliott said. "I like it here. Private. Secluded. People don't drop by for a visit. The locals still consider me a newcomer, but they will talk to me and they will share information they won't tell outsiders. Some of their stories would curl your hair, and trust me, they believe in them."

"His housekeeper told him what it is that the locals think is happening to people," Tyler said. "It's pretty unbelievable, but meeting Raph made me realize that anything is possible. Especially because my mom went missing after hearing the story."

"Then we need to hear the story so we'll know where to start looking for your mom," Raph said. "For obvious reasons, we can't talk to the housekeeper ourselves."

"You won't have to," Tyler said. "Mom records all of her interviews."

"Mrs. Griff agreed to talk to Mrs. Jaffey when I asked her to repeat the story she'd told me," Elliott said. "Mrs. Griff got it from her aunt, who is over a hundred years old. The interview took place here."

"Mom's phone disappeared with her, but fortunately she copies everything to her cloud account," Tyler said. "I have the password. Service is sketchy here too, like in New York, but Elliott has his own satellite dish."

"The perks of having money," Elliott said. "Just because I don't like being around people doesn't mean I don't still need to communicate with them."

"Could you play that interview for us, Tyler?" Leo asked. "I'd like to start the search for your mom as soon as possible."

"Sure, hang on while I get my laptop," Tyler said, getting up from his chair and leaving the room.

When he was gone, Leo turned to Elliott. "Mr. Ballard, what have the local authorities done about looking for the people who've gone missing?"

"We have no local law enforcement," Elliott said. "The state police have the primary responsibility for providing police services in our small town. Our population has been very transient since the happenings in New York. The police don't consider anyone missing until someone with standing files an official missing person's report. No one has."

"Didn't Tyler make such a report?" Don asked.

"I did," Tyler said as he returned. He set the laptop on the coffee table and kneeled on the floor in front of it. "The first thing the police did was to call her cell phone. They got an answer from someone who looked and sounded like my mom. She told them that I was being difficult 'cause I didn't want to be left with a babysitter. Only thing was, the lady on the phone wasn't my mom. The police wouldn't believe me. They told me to go home."

"How sure are ya' that . . . ." Raph began.

"I'm positive," Tyler said, interrupting him. "I'm positive, Raph. You guys believe in magic, right? I know you do from the stuff you just got done saying. Whoever that was on the phone wasn't my mom."

He looked so fierce that Raph held up a placating hand. "Okay kid, I believe ya'. I've seen a lot of weird crap in my life, enough so I'm not gonna start doubting that something could make itself look like another person."

"Okay, just so we have that straight," Tyler said. His countenance smoothed and he shrugged. "That's why I wouldn't tell you guys everything until you came out here. I was afraid you wouldn't believe me either."

"Hey, remember that time the Foot built a robot version of Master Splinter?" Mikey asked. "That was totally real looking."

"So you're suggesting the woods are full of killer robots?" Raph asked.

"That's better than ghosts who can make themselves look like other people," Mikey shot back.

"Could we just listen to the recording, please?" The expression on Leo's faced silenced his brothers. "Go ahead, Tyler."

Tyler nodded and hit a few keys. The first words were too low to hear so he quickly adjusted the volume.

" _. . . Mrs. Griff, who has lived in this region her entire life."_ The voice belonged to Tyler's mom. _"Mrs. Griff, please tell me the story at your own pace."_

Another voice came on, this one the gravely tones of an older woman who quite probably drank and smoked. _"My old auntie told me about the Devil when I was knee high to a grasshopper. All the old ones warned the kids about going into the woods."_

"_The Devil?"_ Mrs. Jaffey asked.

"_The Jersey Devil,"_ Mrs. Griff clarified. _"They say this creature lives in the woods. They say it walks on two legs when it ain't flying, 'cause it's got bat wings. Got hooves too. They say it's got a serpent-like body, the head of a horse, and the long tail of a dragon. They say its cries can deafen a man."_

There was a pause in the recording and Mikey asked of no one in particular, "I wonder who 'they' is?"

Mrs. Griff started speaking again. _"They say it was born to Mother Leeds in seventeen thirty-five. She already had twelve children. They say she dabbled in witchcraft and was part of a coven. They say her husband was a drunkard and didn't help with the child rearing. When she was heavy with the thirteenth child and wore out from hard work, she raised up her hands and asked her dark master to let this child be a devil."_

"_She asked for her child to be born a devil?"_ Mrs. Jaffey asked.

"_Yep. They say when she went into labor that a witch from her coven was there along with some of the local midwives. The baby came out looking like a normal baby boy. They say that lasted only a couple of minutes before the baby changed into a hideous creature. The say it grew fast, sprouting hair and feathers and horns and talon-like claws. It savagely attacked and killed its own mother. They say it turned on the midwives and attacked them too, voicing unearthly shrieks while it tore them limb from limb."_

"_What a horrible tale,"_ Mrs. Jaffey said.

Mrs. Griff snorted. _"That ain't all. They say it found its father and siblings cowering in a back room and went after them too. It killed as many as it could before some of the midwives' husbands arrived. They say when the husbands burst through the door, the Jersey Devil ran to the fireplace and flew up it, destroying it on the way and leaving a pile of rubble behind."_

"_And this creature, this Jersey Devil, is what is supposedly taking the people who have gone missing?"_ Mrs. Jaffey asked.

"_You don't have to believe me,"_ Mrs. Griff said_. "I'm just telling what my old Aunt told me. Folks around here have been seeing the creature for a couple hundred years. Not so much in my lifetime, but since the weird stuff happened in the big city one state over, something has been showing up in the woods again. Something big that moves fast through the trees. I make sure I'm home before dark falls. You want my advice, don't go hunting for answers in the woods."_

The recording ended then and Tyler closed the cloud account. No one spoke for several minutes.

Finally Don pointed at the laptop. "Could I borrow that for a minute?"

Tyler handed it to him and when Don began tapping on the keys, he asked, "Are you looking up stuff on the Jersey Devil?"

"I am," Don said. "I'm guessing you have already."

"Yeah. There's a few versions, but the stories are all generally alike," Tyler said.

Don quickly scanned several on-line tales and said, "He's right and so was Mrs. Griff. The legend of the Jersey Devil goes all the way back to seventeen thirty-five. In most of the stories it was a creature born to a woman known as Mrs. Leeds."

"Does it say how to kill it?" Raph asked. "'Cause if it's real and it's disappearing people, killing it is all I care about."

"There is a story from an expedition in eighteen twelve," Don said. "Supposedly they were ordered by James Monroe to search for the Devil. The accounts say that a female Jersey Devil crashed through the roof of the house the members of the expedition were staying in. They shot and killed it. There's no proof that any of that story is fact based."

"Up until now, the only Jersey Devils I ever heard of is the pro ice hockey team," Raph said.

"I'd rather be looking for _them_," Mikey said.

"We're looking for Tyler's mom, not some creature that may or may not exist," Leo said. "Now that we know what brought her here and that it probably took her quest into the woods, we know that's where our pursuit should begin."

"In the morning, right?" Mikey asked. "We'll get some sleep, hit the trails at daylight, maybe wait until we're armed with bazookas . . . ."

"We're going now," Leo said, standing up. "If something is kidnapping people, then they need our help immediately. We can grab our bedrolls from the van."

"I'm going too," Tyler announced.

"That ain't such a good idea," Raph said. "It's too dangerous."

"I'm not going to argue," Tyler said. "If you go without me, I'll just follow you."

The pair stared at each other, neither backing down. Raph finally said, "Ya' might not be as hotheaded, but you're still headstrong. You'd do it too, wouldn't ya'?"

"Yes I would," Tyler said. "I brought my sleeping bag. I'll go get it. I'll be right behind you if you guys take off without me."

He zipped out of the room as though worried the turtles would raise further arguments.

"I'm sorry, but in this area I have no influence on him," Elliott said. "The only way I could keep him from going off alone in search of his mother was by suggesting he might know adults who could help. That's when he thought of you, Raphael. Then he waited because he knew you were on your way."

"I don't like this," Leo said. "Will he listen to us if things get bad?"

"He'll listen," Raph said. "The trick is ya' gotta give him something to do. He's not so good at sitting around waiting."

"Sounds like someone else we know," Mikey said. "How about I stay behind and monitor Elliott's ham radio? If you guys get into trouble, I can call in the National Guard or the local pest control company."

"You're going with us, goofball," Don said.

"I was afraid you'd say that," Mikey muttered.

"Mr. Ballard, Donatello has a portable ham radio that we'll be taking with us," Leo said. "Would you keep yours on in case something does happen? I want the police to be able to locate Tyler. We'll stay in touch and post regular reports on our location."

"I'd be happy to do that," Elliott said. "I was about to suggest it myself."

Tyler arrived then carrying a backpack and a sleeping bag. He settled them on his back, bade goodbye to Elliott, and headed for the door.

The group stopped at the van so that the turtles could grab their gear. "So which way are we going?" Raph asked once they were all ready.

"To the Leeds house," Don said. "There were accounts of the topography and landmarks that seem to pinpoint its location. I think that's the place to start searching."

"That's what my mom thought too," Tyler said excitedly. "There was a note attached to the audio file but I didn't think it was important 'cause all it said was 'Leeds House'."

"It's all you, Donny," Leo said. "Lead the way."

Don pulled out a compass and consulted it. While they were waiting for him to choose a direction, Mikey began looking around, noting that the woods were almost as dark as the tunnels they'd grown up in.

Then something else caught his attention and he stared at it. After a moment it dawned on him what he was seeing.

"Uh, guys, you need to look at this," Mikey said, pointing at the van.

"For crying out loud, Mikey. What now?" Raph snapped, turning around.

Further words dried up. Along the side of the van, near the roof, were three long, thin trenches gouged into the metal.

TBC….


	2. Chapter 2

Hunting the Devil  
part 2

"Are those . . . scratches?" Leo asked.

"They sure as hell look like scratches to me," Raph said. "Guess that accounts for the hard hit the van took before we got to the house. Thought it was a tree branch."

Mikey's nunchucks were out in a flash. He crouched as he spun them, his eyes scanning the sky. "It's probably watching us right now, waiting for us to lower our guard so it can pluck us off the ground like ripe juicy grapes!"

"Seriously, Mikey, you're only embarrassing yourself," Raph told him.

Tyler reached into his back pocket and produced a slingshot. "I'm really, really good with this." Tapping the pouch attached to his belt, he added, "This is full of ball bearings."

"Just make sure ya' know where you're aiming that thing," Raph said. "I don't want one of those hitting me between my eyes."

"I think this is a good indication that Mrs. Griff's story is probably true, at least to a certain extent," Leo said.

"What extent would that be? That the woods are full of killer flying creatures?" Mikey asked. His nunchucks were still in his hands.

"Put those away, Mikey," Don said. "I've got a direction. We need to go that way."

He pointed to the woods just past where Tyler's mom had left her rented Jeep. They started walking and Leo asked the boy, "Did you check the Jeep for clues as to your mom's whereabouts?"

"Elliott had the postal carrier check before I came out here," Tyler said. "He said there wasn't anything inside."

"We'll look again, just to be sure," Leo said, changing course.

As they neared the Jeep it became obvious that something had happened to it. The canvas top was shredded, there was a huge dent in the driver's side door, two of the tires had been flayed open and were flat, and the windshield had been shattered.

"Damn, did that mailman think Jeeps come like this?" Raph asked of no one in particular.

"He was right about one thing," Don said, backing out of the Jeep after inspecting the interior. "There's nothing inside."

"No . . . ?" Leo hesitated to finish the question, glancing at Tyler.

Raph interpreted that glance and led Tyler away from the Jeep, asking him questions about the things his mom usually carried with her.

Don finished the question for Leo. "Blood? No, none. No indication that the thing that attacked the Jeep ever got to the inside. It almost appears to have been done to keep the Jeep from being drivable."

Leo frowned. "That would seem to imply that this thing has some intelligence."

"We shouldn't assume that it doesn't," Don said.

Together they walked back to where Tyler waited with Raph and Mikey. Don caught Raph's eyes and gave a small, imperceptible shake of his head, letting his brother know he'd found nothing in the Jeep.

"Keep your eyes and ears open," Leo admonished the group. "Everyone stay together, no wandering off. No lone wolf stuff. Whatever is out there is dangerous and clearly very strong."

After moving into the woods they soon found that they'd have to walk single file due to the dense growth. Don took the lead, compass in hand, and Leo chose to bring up the rear. Tyler was between Raph and Mikey, right in the middle of the pack.

Various night sounds from birds and insects kept Mikey in a state of near constant tension. "I'm telling you guys, we should be doing this after daylight. How can we find what we're looking for if we can't see anything?"

"Use your flashlight," Raph growled at him. "That Jersey Devil thing's gonna hear ya' before it sees ya' anyway."

Something hooted nearby and Mikey jumped, his heartbeat racing. "This is exactly what people in horror movies do. They go into the scary woods and get eaten."

"Ignore him, Tyler," Raph said. "The bitching is standard operating procedure for Mikey."

"I don't mind," Tyler said. "His talking kind of keeps the gloom away. Gives me something else to focus on."

"If that's the case, then let me point out that I don't know half of the things that are making noises all around us," Mikey said. "Maybe there's more than one of those Devils and they're talking to each other."

"What you should worry about is if it suddenly goes silent," Don said. "That will be an indication that something has spooked the wildlife."

"And that so did not help," Mikey replied sarcastically.

"Put your listening ears on, Mikey," Leo ordered. "I want to hear the thing before it hears us."

Mikey bit back the retort that perched on the end of his tongue. He felt that it was his duty to remind his brothers of everything that could happen when they were in dangerous situations, but if they didn't want to listen, it was on their heads.

They continued on in silence. After a while Tyler, who was behind Raph, moved up closer to the turtle and tapped his arm.

"What do you think happens to the people who disappeared?" Tyler asked in a hushed tone. "Do you think the Devil . . . ?"

He couldn't finish the sentence and when Raph glanced down at him, he saw the stricken expression on the boy's face.

"Uh, uh, don't even start thinking like that," Raph said. "I think it's a good sign that we ain't finding anything. To me that means they're all trapped someplace waiting to be rescued."

"Okay." Tyler clearly wasn't certain of this, but sounded as though he was willing to be convinced.

"Hey, give me a little credit," Raph said, offering Tyler a smile. "When have I ever been wrong?"

Tyler nodded, accepting Raph's assurances. His eyes were still a little too wide and Raph hoped like crazy that they'd find his mom and that she'd be completely unharmed.

"There are opposing viewpoints on the actual location of the Jersey Devil's birth home," Don said, eyes on his compass. "The closest one to the area where people have gone missing is known as the Shroud's House. There was one image of it on-line and it looks really run down."

"So how come Mrs. Jaffey called it the Leeds House?" Raph asked.

"Because both of the homes laying claim to this dubious distinction are in Leeds Point," Don answered. "The other one is a tourist attraction. I doubt the Jersey Devil has taken up residence there or it would have been all over the news."

"There ya' go again, being all logical," Raph teased.

A little while later Donatello pushed his way between two overgrown bushes and then stopped so suddenly that Raph nearly plowed into him.

They were in a tiny clearing. A manicured lawn was surrounded by herb and flower gardens, the night bloomers filling the air with a sweet aroma. A meandering path led from the woods to a small wood frame home. It was neat in appearance, the white paint unblemished, and lilac colored shutters accenting the front windows.

Standing next to Don, Raph surveyed the area. "Oh yeah, looks real run down."

"I guess the on-line information is a little out of date," Don said.

"You think?" Mikey asked rhetorically.

"Let's see if someone lives here," Leo said. He looked down at Tyler. "Knock on the door and then step back. If someone answers, ask after your mom, but don't go inside. We'll be close but out of sight."

Tyler nodded. "Okay."

The turtles fanned out, holding to cover as they shadowed Tyler's approach to the door. Just before he reached the steps leading up to the porch, Tyler stopped, his gaze on something lying in the grass nearby.

"That's my mom's backpack!" Tyler called out excitedly. He picked it up and turned it over, finding that the pack had been ripped open.

"Leave it," Leo said from his position to one side of the porch. "She might have rushed inside to escape something."

Dropping the backpack where he'd found it, Tyler ran up the steps and knocked on the door. When his knock wasn't answered, he called out, "Mom?" and pounded harder.

The latch bolt hadn't caught firmly and the door swung open on its own under his onslaught. Tyler pushed it farther aside so that he could look into the house.

"Tyler, wait!" Raph bolted for the door as Tyler stepped inside.

He caught up to the boy, grasping his shoulder to prevent him from moving. His brothers joined them in what was a modestly furnished living room.

There were signs that someone had been there not long before their arrival. A vase had been shattered, various items of furniture had been shoved out of place, and there were scuff marks in the wooden floor. A rug was scrunched up against the wall, as though someone had skidded on it.

Leo shrugged out of his backpack to leave it near the doorway and the others followed suit.

"We've gotta look everywhere," Tyler announced in a determined tone. "She's gotta be here."

"We'll look," Raph said, "but we're gonna be smart about it."

"Mikey, check the kitchen," Leo directed. "I'll see if there's a basement. Raph, you take Tyler and look in the bedroom. Donny, you're on the attic."

"Kitchen sounds good to me," Mikey said, walking in that direction. "Kitchens are not so scary."

The words had barely left his mouth when something barreled into him, knocking him to the floor.

"Ahh!" Mikey screamed as the shriveled figure of a man clawed at his throat. "Get it off, get it off!"

"I've got it!" Don shouted, rushing towards the man.

He was reaching for his brother when another figure leaped onto his shell.

Raph darted for him, grasping the figure around its middle and yanking it off of Don. He threw the gurgling, writhing thing with all his might, sending it crashing against the wall.

Leo ran to Mikey's aid. Digging into the man's shoulders, Leo lifted him off of Mikey. The man immediately slid out of Leo's grip and turned on him, both hands outstretched as its clawed fingertips searched for his neck.

Rolling to his feet, Mikey grabbed for his nunchuck and struck the man across the back of his legs. There was a cracking sound and the figure immediately collapsed, striking its head solidly against the floor.

Breathing hard, the turtles waited, poised for another attack. Nothing happened and neither of the figures moved again.

Finally, Don bent over the person who had jumped him. The long white hair did more in the way of telling him it was a woman than her body did, since it was almost completely desiccated.

He felt for a pulse and waited a minute before looking up at his brothers. "She's gone."

"So is this one," Leo said.

"They were already gone," Mikey said. "Don't you guys know anything? They're zombies!"

"They aren't zombies," Don said.

"Then you explain the wrinkled up bodies and all white hair and eyes," Mikey retorted.

"Save it, Mikey." Leo squatted next to the man. "This one has a med alert bracelet."

"That has to be Jace McElroy," Tyler said, kneeling next to Leo. "He's the first guy to go missing. I saw all their names and descriptions on mom's computer. His said that he wore a medical alert bracelet."

Leo flipped the metal band on the bracelet over. "This is him all right. It says 'Jace McElroy'."

"He's only thirty-four years old," Tyler said. "What happened to him?"

"That's what we'd like to know," Leo said, standing up. He gestured towards the woman. "Any idea who she is?"

"From the description I read of what she was last seen wearing, that has to be Mary Meyers," Tyler said. "She was the second person taken. She's supposed to be twenty-seven."

"Whatever did this to them is probably in the house," Mikey said, backing towards the door. "That means we shouldn't be in this house."

"Just hang on, Mikey," Leo said. "We still need to locate Tyler's mom. The house has to be searched."

"Nope, no way." Mikey shook his head vigorously, covering his nostrils and mouth with one hand. "It's probably in the air in here. Maybe it's killer spores."

"Is he always like this?" Tyler asked.

Raph rolled his eyes. "Pretty much."

"You know who always gets taken first in a horror movie? The guy who tries to warn everyone not to underestimate a monster. You know why? Because no one listens to him," Mikey said. "I'm out of here!"

He bolted outside. Don glanced around at his brothers. "We shouldn't leave him out there alone."

Raph crossed the room and opened a window. "There. We can tell him the outdoor air is clearing out the house. We'll humor him for a few minutes and then drag his ass back in here so we can finish searching the place."

They went out onto the porch and saw that Mikey was already halfway across the yard. "Mike, get back here," Leo said. "You can stand watch on the porch, okay?"

Mikey stopped and turned around. Then something swooped down out of the sky and grabbed him.

The creature was tall and barrel chested, with a huge wing span, a tail, and clawed hands. Those hands were curved tightly around Mikey's biceps as it lifted him off the ground.

"Mikey! No!" Raph shouted, racing towards his brother.

He wasn't fast enough. The Jersey Devil carried Mikey away from the house and into the woods. Just before he disappeared, Mikey yelled, "I told you so~o!"

"I can track him," Don said, running up alongside Raphael, turtle tracker in hand.

"Move it, double time!" Leo commanded.

"But the house . . . my mom . . . ." Tyler said, hanging back.

"She ain't there," Raph said, urging Tyler along with a hand between his shoulder blades. "She's gonna be wherever that thing is taking Mikey."

Once more they were forced into single file by the heavy growth in the woods. Tyler was a quick kid, but not as swift as the turtles and they were compelled to slow down enough for him to keep up with them.

The tracker in Don's hands beeped steadily for another mile and then suddenly stopped.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Raph demanded.

"Something must have happened to his shell cell," Don said. "There's no signal."

"Great, just great," Raph growled. "Turtle luck running true to form."

"We'll have to track based on line of sight," Leo said. "Assume the Jersey Devil took a direct course back to its lair and stay on that course."

Raph snorted angrily. "Ya' know what I like about this situation?"

Leo looked at him. "What?"

"Nothing." Raph turned back to Don. "Grab your compass and keep us heading the right way. We ain't losing Mikey."

"Wait," Don said, squatting to place his backpack on the ground. "I'm glad I thought to grab this before we left the house. We need to report in to Elliott so he'll know where we are."

"Make it quick, Donny," Leo said.

While he fired up the ham radio, Tyler was pacing. "We should go now. We can call Elliott later. What if the Devil moves everyone 'cause it knows we're here? We're wasting time!"

"I know you're anxious kid," Raph said, stepping in front of Tyler. "So am I. It took me years to learn not to barrel into stuff head on, and I still forget sometimes. When we find those people and your mom, they might need help and Elliott's the only one who can send some. But not if he don't know where we've been. Ya' gotta be patient."

"I hear you," Tyler said. The fact that the response was noncommittal wasn't lost on Raph.

"Done," Don announced, standing up and swinging the pack onto his shell. He snapped open the compass. "The Devil was flying in a northwesterly direction."

"Let's go," Leo said.

As they started walking, Raph drew close to Don and whispered, "Ya' got one of those homing devices on ya'? I'm gonna slip one onto Tyler just in case he decides to run off on his own."

Don reached into his belt and drew out the small electronic mechanism. He handed it to Raph who then slowed so that he could wave Tyler on in front on him. As the boy walked past him, Raph dropped the device onto the back of his shirt collar, where it immediately stuck.

Though it was too dark to see much of the terrain beyond the reach of their flashlights, they could feel the gradual incline in the ground beneath their feet. It became prudent to keep the light focused downward in order to avoid tripping hazards.

"We've reached a hilly area," Don explained. "There are also bogs and marshes out here, so watch your step."

"Give me streets and tall buildings any day," Raph griped under his breath.

"Guys, wait," Leo whispered, his tone harsh.

Everyone came to an immediate halt. "Ya' hear something?" Raph asked quietly.

"Help! Help me! Mommy? Daddy?"

It was the voice of a young girl. There was a stumbling noise, then that of something falling and the girl began to cry.

"Over there!" Leo exclaimed, rushing towards the sound.

When the others caught up to him, they saw that the beam of his flashlight had revealed a little girl, probably around seven years old. She wore pajamas which were badly soiled, as were her sneakers. Her brown hair was in a braid but was disheveled, and her tears had created furrows in the dirt on her face.

She was sitting on the ground, a vine wrapped around one ankle, and was sobbing hysterically. Leo walked over to her, keeping the flashlight aimed at her face so that she couldn't get a good look at him.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, we're here to help you," Leo murmured, kneeling next to her so that he could remove the vine. "What's your name?"

"H . . . Hester," the little girl replied.

"How'd ya' get out here, Hester?" Raph asked, walking into her view.

"I was . . . Ahh!"

Eyes wide, the little girl scrambled away from them, scooting along the leaves while trying to get her footing. Tyler rushed to her, putting himself between the girl and the large turtles.

"It's okay, Hester. They're my friends," Tyler told her.

"But . . . but . . . ." She stared at Raph, who remained motionless.

"They're park rangers," Tyler said. "That's what they wear on patrol. The masks protect their eyes. They came with me to help me find my mom."

Hester gazed at him, a hopeful look appearing on her face. "Will they help me find my mommy and daddy?"

"What happened to them?" Tyler asked.

"We went camping and I heard noises," Hester said. "Mommy and daddy weren't in the tent with me. I went outside and they were gone."

"Were you looking for them?" Leo asked.

"Uh huh," Hester answered, shooting a shy glance in his direction. "I'm not lost. I was following the seeds."

"Seeds? What seeds?" Don asked.

"The sunflower seeds," Hester said. "See?"

She pointed at the ground nearby and they saw a handful of the unshelled seeds lying there.

"These were left recently," Don said. "They're on top of the leaves and the animals haven't discovered them."

"Daddy dropped them and I knew to follow them," Hester said, a note of pride in her voice. "He eats them all the time."

"How about we help you find your mommy and daddy?" Leo asked. "You'll have to stick close to us and do what we tell you."

Hester nodded. "Okay."

Tyler and Leo both offered her a hand up, but it was Leo's hand she accepted. Once on her feet, she continued to cling to the turtle.

"What do you say, Donny? Does the sunflower seed trail coincide with the direction your compass says to take?" Leo asked.

"They do," Don said. "They're a little hard to see, but they've fallen along a northwesterly path."

"My flashlight stopped working," Hester said. "That's why I fell down."

"We've got flashlights," Leo said. "I won't let you fall again."

The little girl kept a tight hold on Leo as they proceeded on, following Don who was watching both the trail of seeds and his compass. Since Hester seemed to still be a little afraid of Raph, he stayed close to Don and Tyler walked ahead of Leo.

As the trail continued to climb, the underbrush thinned out just a bit, making maneuvering somewhat easier. Before long they caught a whiff of smoke and then they came upon a hut.

All they could see of it was the thatched roof and front door, as the rest of the house seemed to be set into the hill just behind it. There was a small, cleared area around the house, but otherwise it was hidden by trees. A thin trickle of smoke, barely visible in the dark, issued from a pipe sticking out of the roof.

"Ya' know that stuff Mikey's always saying about scary movies?" Raph asked, stopping beside Don. "That right there is what ya' call a horror movie cliché."

"It also happens to be where the sunflower seed trail ends," Don said. "My compass is pointing directly at it."

"Somehow I don't think the Jersey Devil is in there sipping tea and baking cookies," Raph said. "Who do ya' suppose is inside?"

"I'll find out," Tyler said, pushing past the turtles. "Maybe it's my mom."

He started for the hut and the turtles followed. Halfway there Raph tapped his shoulder to stop him.

"Remember what we told ya' the last time. No running off on your own, no matter what ya' see," Raph admonished him.

"I know," Tyler said before continuing to the hut.

Raph realized that wasn't really a commitment, but there wasn't much he could do about it short of physically restraining the kid. Fortunately there weren't any windows in the hut and Raph was able to stick close to Tyler

As Tyler lifted his hand to knock, Raph moved against the wall to one side of the door and Don placed himself on the other side. When Leo started forward, Hester pulled against his hand, staring up at him with a frightened look on her face. He decided to stay back with her and wait for an all clear from his brothers.

Tyler's knock went unanswered. Leaning his head against the door, the boy listened for sounds from inside, but heard nothing. Wrapping his hand around the door latch, he pushed down and discovered that the door wasn't locked.

With a determined expression, he glanced at Raph and said, "I'm going in to look for my mom."

"Dammit kid, no!" Raph hissed, but his warning came too late. Tyler opened the door and went inside.

"Why do you bother?" Don asked as he and Raph chased after Tyler.

The space they found themselves in was a kitchen. It was very rustic, with a large cooking fireplace directly in front of them. There was a fire burning and a kettle, suspended from a hook attached to the bricks, hung directly over the flames.

A curtained alcove off to the far side of the space provided privacy for a single bed. The only door in the place was set into the rocks and when Raph opened it, he saw stairs leading down into darkness.

"Probably a larder," Don guessed. "There are no appliances, so anything that would have to be kept cold would be stored below ground."

"Peachy," Raph grumbled. "Another wild goose chase. Where the hell is Mikey?"

"Where's my mom?" Tyler asked. "Where do we look now?"

The three of them stared at one another and then Don said, "This is where the trail ended. I'd say our best bet is to go down those stairs."

"Raph!"

Head whipping around, Raph exclaimed, "That's Leo!"

In three long bounds he was outside, with Don right on his heels. They raced to where they'd left Leo and Hester.

Both of them were gone.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Leonardo watched his brothers run into the hut in pursuit of Tyler. Hester clung to his hand, squeezing it with all her might as though willing him to remain by her side.

"Don't worry, Hester, I'll protect you," Leo assured her. "Nothing is going to get you."

Suddenly the little girl began to chuckle. The tone was deep and menacing.

"Too bad you can't protect yourself."

Hester wrenched her hand from his grip and spun to face him.

A glimmer surrounded her form and the young girl vanished, her image replaced by that of an old hag. With an expression of pure evil, she reached into a pocket of her long skirt.

"Raph!" Leo shouted in warning as he started to back away.

He'd taken two steps before the hag threw a handful of powder into his eyes. The last thing he remembered was the ground coming up to meet his face.

TBC…..


	3. Chapter 3

Hunting the Devil  
part 3 final

"Leo!" Raph yelled at the top of his lungs. Leo!" He charged frantically from one end of the clearing to the other, looking for some sign of his brother.

Don searched along the perimeter, where the trees formed a barrier. He found where Leo and Hester had been standing and squatted there to study the ground.

"Raph, come look at this," Don said.

His brother jogged over to him and crouched to look at what Don was indicating. In the soil were scuff marks and the outlines left by a plastron pressed into the dirt.

"It's got him, it's got Leo too," Raph muttered angrily. "How did it take him without a fight? He would have seen it coming."

"He was trying to protect Hester," Don said. "That's the only explanation."

"Then where is she? Did it get them both?" Raph asked.

They stood up and at the same time looked back at the hut. Tyler waited just outside the door, watching them.

"That hill behind the hut is probably one and a half to two thousand feet high," Don mused. "There's most likely a way in from somewhere near the top."

"In where?" Raph demanded.

"A cavern," Don said. "Someplace the Jersey Devil could fly into and out of with ease. It's lair."

Raph's eyes narrowed. "How much ya' wanna wager there's a way to get to that lair from inside the hut? Ain't no creature builds a fire and puts a kettle on to boil. I'll bet someone's helping that thing."

"I'm not betting with you because I was thinking the same thing," Don said. "Those stairs inside go down beneath the hut and probably into the hill itself."

"Let's stop talking about it and go find out for sure," Raph said, marching towards the hut.

"What's going on? Where's Leo and Hester?" Tyler asked when they reached him.

"Our best guess? Somewhere inside that hill," Raph said. "We're going in and this time when I tell ya' to stay close, you'd better listen to me."

"Sorry," Tyler said. "Mom is the only family I have and I guess I'm kind of protective of her."

"Look kid, I get that," Raph said, his expression softening. "My dad made us promise him a long time ago that we'd always stick together as a family. Family is everything. But ya' ain't alone in this, ya' got friends. So no running off and making us worry about ya'. We've got enough to worry about."

"When we separate, that creature picks us off," Don said. "So let's try not to separate."

Raph took the lead as they descended the stairs. It was pitch black inside, the atmosphere weighted and oppressive. The air grew colder the farther down they went and the scent of wet earth became more distinct. Their footsteps and the creak of the staircase began to echo as though the space they were entering was quite large.

By Donatello's count they'd gone down sixty treads, about four stories, before their flashlights illuminated an earthen floor. Shining his light around, Don expected to see shelves holding canned goods, but there was nothing to indicate the place was used for storage.

If fact there was nothing at all other than the rocky walls of a cavern.

Donatello walked to the center of the space and looked up. Far above him he saw the faint light given off by the moon.

"There's an opening up there," Don said. "It's difficult to tell exactly how wide it is."

"I'd say it's wide enough," Raph said. He flung his hands out in exasperation. "There ain't nothing here."

"I wouldn't say that," Tyler called out softly. He was off to one side of the cavern and frantically waved them over once he'd gotten their attention.

In the wall was massive hole, easily twenty feet wide and just as high. It was the entrance to a tunnel, one so long that their flashlights couldn't penetrate to wherever it ended.

As Don played his light along the ground, he spotted hoof prints.

"We're going the right way," Don whispered, pointing out the marks.

"Then let's keep going," Raph said. "Quietly. Tyler, get behind Donny. Try and walk the way he does. It'll be your first lesson in how to be a ninja."

"Gotcha," Tyler said, sliding in behind Donatello, who waited for Raph to take the lead.

The tunnel walls were wet to the touch and had a musty, closed in aroma. The threesome kept to one side, avoiding the small stream of water that ran through the center of the tunnel. Moving silently, they soon saw light shining ahead of them and then the end of the tunnel.

Raph flicked off his flashlight and tucked it away, signaling the other two to do so as well. He crept slowly up to the mouth of the opening, hugging the wall, and Don took the opposite side with Tyler close behind him.

They had reached another cavern of sorts, this one not quite as high or wide, but with deep enough gouges in the walls to be categorized as chambers. There were several of them and it was from one that the light was emanating.

It was bright enough for the turtles to see that the ground ahead of them was strewn with bodies.

"Are they . . .?" Raph asked, looking across at Don.

"What do you see?" Tyler whispered, peering around Don. He gasped and Don flung out an arm to prevent him from darting into the space.

"I can't tell from here," Don said in answer to Raph's question.

"Guard up, be ready for anything," Raph warned as he tiptoed into the room. He almost chuckled out loud when he realized that his words sounded exactly like something Leo would say.

Upon reaching the first of the people lying on the ground, Don bent down to touch the man's pulse point. There was faint movement under his finger and he saw the slight rise and fall of his chest.

"Alive," Don said. He glanced at Tyler. "Another of the people off the missing list?"

"They all are," Tyler said. "What happened to them?"

His question was in regards to the various stages of desiccation displayed by each victim. Some were nearly as shriveled as the two they'd encountered at the house, others showed only small signs of the wrinkling effect.

"I think something is draining them," Don said.

"My mom's not here." Tyler looked over at Raph, who had proceeded farther into the space.

"Neither are Mikey or Leo," Raph said. He pointed at the brightly lit chamber. "We're going in there."

The words had barely left his mouth when the sound of rushing wings echoed through the tunnel behind them.

"Get down!" Raph hissed, dropping quickly to the ground next to one of the unconscious people.

Don and Tyler followed suit, using separate victims to shield themselves from whatever was approaching.

In seconds the sound of wings ceased only to be followed by the clip-clop of hooves against the hard earthen floor. Unable to restrain his curiosity, Raph peered over the body he was lying next to, careful to make no sudden moves.

Out of the darkness walked a huge, misshapen creature. It was entirely coal black, other than its eyes, which burned with a yellowish-orange light.

It walked upright on two thin legs ending in thick hooves. Its head was shaped like that of a horse, with long pointed ears that could easily be mistaken for horns. Long arms ended in a three-fingered hand, the tips of each carrying claws that looked to be razor sharp.

The wings were held close to its body as it walked, but Raph could see that there were veins running throughout the leathery skin. It also had a long tail with a feather like barbed point.

This was the Jersey Devil of folklore. As Raphael watched it walk between the fallen bodies, he wished that the thing really had been a myth.

Raph held his breath as it clomped towards his hiding place. As it was going by the spot where Don and Tyler had concealed themselves, it suddenly stopped.

Ears swiveling, it turned its head to look in their direction and then its nostrils flared.

Frantic to redirect its attention, Raph slid his hand around on the ground nearest him. When his fingers touched a rock, he wrapped his hand around it and threw it several yards ahead of him. The rock bounced off of one of the unconscious men, who groaned and flopped over onto his back.

The Jersey Devil's head snapped back around and it darted forward, moving faster than Raph would have expected. When it reached the man, it scooped him up as though he was weightless and quickly carried him into the lighted chamber.

Raph immediately leaped to his feet and dashed after it. He heard Don say something, the tone one he used when urging caution, but Raph was moving too fast to heed his warning.

It was the sudden change in the air around him that stopped Raph's headlong rush into the unknown. A feeling like electrical static hit him, his body tingling as the very atmosphere became supercharged.

The sight that met his eyes stopped him in the entrance. He felt a shift in the space near him and knew Donatello was there as well.

Standing in the center of the chamber was the Jersey Devil, its wings wrapped tightly around the man it had just grabbed. A brilliant glow suffused its wings while pulsing ribbons of energy sped along the veins and into its body.

When the glow faded the Jersey Devil opened its wings. The man fell to the ground, more shrunken than before.

Then he began to crawl towards a pair of figures at the far end of the chamber. It was the two kidnapped turtles

Leonardo lay strapped to a table, unconscious but breathing evenly. Standing motionless beside him was Michelangelo. His cheeks were sunken in, eyes blank and devoid of sentience.

On another nearby table lay Tyler's mother.

"Mom!" Tyler shouted, bolting around Donatello.

Don quickly grabbed his arm, yanking Tyler to a stop. Raph drew his sai, his expression dissolving into savage snarl.

Glaring at the Jersey Devil, Raph growled, "I'm gonna ram this down your throat!"

The creature opened its mouth and shrieked.

Both Don and Tyler clapped their hands over their ears, bending over in pain. Raph lifted an arm to press a bicep against one ear but continued forward, intent on driving a sai into the beast's heart.

"Save me! Help! Help!"

Hester came out from behind Mrs. Jaffey's table and started running towards Raph. At the sound of her voice, Leo's eyes opened and he groaned.

"Hang on, Leo!" Raph called out. "Hester, stay where you are, I'm coming to you! Don, free Leo!"

He changed direction, wanting to pull the little girl out of harm's way. The Jersey Devil suddenly stopped shrieking.

"Raph, wait!" Leo yelled. "That's not a little girl!"

Confused, Raph halted, but Hester kept coming at him. Don dashed up to stand at Raph's side and drew his staff, swinging it around to block Hester off.

Hester stopped to stare at the turtles, the helpless aspect dropping from her features. Seeing that they were now too suspicious to let her get near them, she began to cackle.

The sound was ugly; a throaty, rasping noise full of terrible resolve. A shimmer formed around her small body, stripping away the disguise and leaving behind her true form.

"Protector, bodyguard, defender of innocence," Hester spat out, the amusement in her yellow eyes belying the animosity of her tone. "Useless here."

She backed away from the turtles. As she neared the Jersey Devil, she reached up to stroke its snout. It moved to fully face the two brothers when she was past it, placing itself between its mistress and the pair of ninjas.

Hester walked around to stand behind Leo's table and set her gnarled hands on his shoulders.

"Get your hands off of him!" Raph barked.

"Soon he will not care about you, any of you," Hester told him. She glanced at Leo's left wrist, around which was a cocoon of glowing energy. Inside that energy field was a long, silver spike floating just above the back of Leo's hand.

"Is that what I think it is?" Don asked, a slight tremor in his voice.

"It can't . . . ." Raph stopped to clear his throat. "Can't be. We destroyed it."

"I have searched long for a suitable host," Hester said, stroking one finger along Leo's cheek. He jerked his head to the side. "Tell me about this one, this Leonardo. He is your leader, yes? His body is perfect; so strong and fit. He is special. Has he shown mystic abilities?"

"Host for what?" Raph demanded.

"For my Master, Oroku Saki," Hester said. "The Shredder."

Stunned, the turtles could only stare at her. Then Donatello found his voice. "The Shredder has been destroyed. We saw to that."

Hester's eyes blazed. "As long as one small piece containing his original dark magic exists, the Shredder will never be destroyed. I sensed that the spike from his gauntlet had survived the last battle and sent the Devil out to retrieve it. Shredder's magic once made me extremely powerful. With it I was able to create my Devil." She gestured towards the Jersey Devil.

Don blinked as sudden understanding came to him. "You were the witch said to have attended the Leeds birth. The one who was part of Mrs. Leeds's coven."

"She was a part of my coven!" Hester snapped. "A pawn. A pitiful excuse of a woman whose mind was easily manipulated. Her only purpose was to beget my masterpiece."

"Why? The Tengu Shredder was banished long before you created the Jersey Devil," Don said.

"I knew the day would come when my Master was resurrected," Hester answered. "My powers had been depleted by his defeat, and I required a conduit that was able to drain the life force of others so that I could remain alive."

"What are you doing to my mom?" Tyler asked. "Why is she on that table?"

"This one is your mother?" Hester's smile showed her cracked, blackened teeth. "She is my new body. I require one every hundred years."

"No!" Tyler started forward again, only to be stopped by Raph.

"That spike ain't got enough magic in it to bring anything back," Raph said. "I'm gonna smash it and I'm gonna smash you."

"Impetuous buffoon!" Hester's eyes narrowed as she calmed down. "You know so little. Every life force the Devil drains feeds the magic. Let me show you."

No words passed from her to the Jersey Devil, but he turned his head in her direction. Its eyes blazed and it opened its mouth, but instead of sound, a bolt of energy shot out and struck the cocoon around Leo's wrist.

There was a brilliant flash and the spike lengthened, one end beginning to flatten out.

"All those kidnapped people," Don said in a hushed tone. "Their energy is helping to rebuild the gauntlet. Then it turns them into mindless slaves."

"Ya' did that to Mikey, ya' bitch!" Raph shouted.

"The Devil likes this one," Hester said, trailing a finger down the length of Mikey's arm. "So few in its lifetime has the Devil deemed as being worthy. You two will also belong to him. The boy's innocence and youthful energy will be enough to complete the gauntlet. Leonardo's body will host my Master, and all that will be needed is a few more lives in order to forge the Master's helmet. With the assembly of the magic triad, the Tengu Shredder will rise once more. And I will serve as his right hand!"

"Fat chance!" Raph lifted his twin sai and spun them. "The Devil and ya' are both going back to hell tonight!"

"Say the word, Raph," Don said, his bō at the ready.

"Foolish beings, you cannot fight me," Hester said. "I have the advantage."

She gestured at Mikey, who turned to face the Devil.

"Leave him alone!" Don yelled.

The Jersey Devil spread its wings wide, its eyes flaring once more. A beam of light shot from them directly into Michelangelo's face.

From his carapace sprouted two wings.

"What wonderful creatures you all are," Hester gloated. "You will serve the Master well. He will reward me handsomely."

"Not if I gut your pet first!" Raph was moving as he spoke, diving straight at the Jersey Devil.

It swung at him and Raph ducked beneath a clawed hand, catching the other between the wings on his sai. Mikey pulled his nunchucks and rushed at Donatello.

The witch's cackling laughter filled the room. From the floor rose the withered man who shuffled jerkily towards the battling turtles.

"We've got company!" Donatello exclaimed.

Through the tunnel marched the people from the connecting cavern. Their movements were disjointed and slow, but purposeful. Against their sheer numbers the turtles had little chance.

"Cut me loose, Raph!" Leo yelled, fighting against his restraints.

"Hang on, I'm coming!" Raph slammed a shoulder into the Jersey Devil's side and spun towards his brother. Its tail whipped around Raph's ankles and tripped him.

When the fighting began, Tyler ran to his mother. She was unconscious but unhurt, and he used his pocket knife to cut her restraints. Tucking his hands beneath her arms, he pulled her off the table and squatted down to lean her against a wall.

Don's shout caught Tyler's attention and he saw the zombie-like people begin to enter the room. Leaping up, he grasped the edge of the table and shoved it towards the tunnel.

The table plowed into two of the zombies before Tyler reached the entrance. With all the strength he could muster, Tyler overturned the heavy table, blocking the zombies' path.

Turning, he saw Donatello battling against his younger brother and Raphael grappling with the beast. The witch still stood near Leo, her attention locked on the fighting. She appeared to ignore Leo's struggles, no doubt certain he could not escape.

The zombie people were piling up against the table. There was no telling how long it would be before they managed to circumvent the makeshift barricade and overrun the two turtles.

"A little help here!" Leo called again, wanting nothing more than to join the fight.

"I'm kinda busy!" Raph bellowed, twisting away from the Jersey Devil's claws. One of them caught his carapace and sliced a narrow trench into it.

"I'll get him loose!" Knife in hand, Tyler ran across the room, dodging the zombies who had gotten in.

He swiftly slashed the bindings on Leo's ankles and then the one on his right arm. Hester swiped at him with her hand, but Tyler dove under the table to come up on the other side.

As he lifted the knife, he saw that there were no ropes on Leo's left arm.

Leo was pulling against the cocoon, grimacing with the effort to free himself. He tugged on his arm and then pushed against the energy shield, but neither would budge.

"Raph, I can't get this thing off my arm!" Leo shouted.

"Hold on!" Raph responded, punching the Jersey Devil in its snout.

"I can get it off of you," Tyler announced, reaching for the spike.

"Tyler, no!" Raph yelled in warning.

He was too late. When Tyler's hand made contact with the cocoon, it sparked with a sudden burst of electricity and zapped him. Tyler was blown off his feet and immediately knocked unconscious.

"Silly boy," Hester chortled. "No human can touch that shield."

"Good thing I ain't human!" Raph crowed, delivering a front snap kick into the Devil's chest and causing it to stumble backwards.

He rushed to Leo, slicing at the witch when she reached for him. Hester jerked back and Raph plunged the tip of his sai into the cocoon.

Sparks danced across the metal and the cocoon split in two. Grabbing the spike, Raph wrenched it off of Leo's arm.

"Behind you!" Leo yelled.

Whirling around, Raph barreled into the oncoming Jersey Devil. Its teeth snapped down on his shoulder, catching against the upper edge of his carapace.

Infuriated, Raph pushed against the Devil, muscle and pure will driving it backwards despite its heavier mass. It slammed against the wall, wings unfurling upon impact.

Leo started to rise from the table but the witch jumped for him, her hands glowing red as she held them above him. Some power seemed to press against his body, holding him in place.

The end of Mikey's nunchuck grazed Don's chin as he pulled his head back. When the other nunchuck swung in, Don brought his bō up into its path. The chain wrapped around the wooden staff and Don yanked the weapon out of Mikey's hands.

Sweeping down with the tip, Don caught the back of Mikey's ankles and dropped his brother. Mikey flipped quickly to his feet, spreading his wings and taking to the air.

"Oh shell," Don swore as Mikey swooped towards him. "Sorry about this, Mikey!"

Holding tightly to his staff, Don jammed the end into Mikey's stomach.

Mikey's wings buckled and he plummeted to the floor. Hitting hard, he lay there and shuddered once before his eyes closed. Then his entire body went limp.

The sound of the table scraping the ground brought Don's attention to the zombies in the tunnel. Don raced over and threw his weight against the table, forcing it back into place. The zombies began to claw at him and he crouched to avoid their grasping hands.

Something pulled on his backpack and Don realized he was under attack by the two zombies who'd gotten in. He shrugged out of the backpack and the zombie fell back, the weighty bundle hitting it in the chest. Swinging his staff, Don struck the other zombie on the side of its head and knocked it out.

Raph yelped as the Jersey Devil's hoof came down atop his foot, but he didn't relinquish his hold. The Devil's wings began to glow as they started to close around the turtle.

"Oh no ya' don't!" Raph growled, ramming his sai through one wing and pinning it to the rock wall.

The Jersey Devil released Raph's shoulder, throwing its head back to shriek in agony. Sharp pain sliced through Raph's head, his eardrums feeling as though they were about to burst. Teeth clenched, he slammed his forearm into the Devil's throat, cutting off the sound.

A hard force crashed into his carapace from behind, nearly buckling Raph's knees. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw that the witch was using her magic to hold Leo down with one hand. The fingers of her other hand moved in a circular motion to form a ball of energy, which she flung at Raph.

He braced himself as it hit. The energy burned as it struck his skin but Raph couldn't release the Devil to deal with the witch.

Then he saw Tyler stir and sit up. Rubbing the back of his head, Tyler looked up at Raph, eyes wide as another fireball hit his shell.

"Remember what I said about your slingshot?" Raph asked between gritted teeth.

The boy leaped to his feet and yanked the weapon from his waistband. He fumbled with the pouch, dropping a few ball bearings before managing to load one into the slingshot's ammo pocket.

His hands were shaking as he brought the slingshot up and pulled back on the cord. Drawing in a deep breath, he took aim and fired.

The ball bearing hurtled through the air and struck Hester directly between her eyes, punching a hole into her head. Brain matter splattered the rocks behind her as the ball bearing came out the other side.

Hester blinked twice, astonishment etching her face, and then her body began to melt.

The Jersey Devil clawed at Raph's shell, struggling to pull free. Using his fists, he punched it underneath its arms and felt something dig into the palm of his hand.

He still had the Shredder's spike clenched in one fist.

Just in time he moved his head aside as the Devil snapped at his face. Then it opened its mouth, flicking its long tongue at his eyes. Demon magic began to glow inside the mouth, building in intensity as it fought.

"Screw that!" Raph yelled and crammed the spike down the Devil's throat.

It made a single gurgling noise and then exploded.

The force threw Raph back and sent his sai hurtling across the chamber where it stuck in the opposite wall. Strings of bright white light shot in all directions, whizzing through the air before individual lights began to rush into each of the 'zombies'.

As their life forces reentered their bodies, the men and women sank to the floor. Don stood up and backed away from the table, watching as the shriveled forms began to plump up again.

Tyler helped Raph to his feet and together they walked to where Leo lay on the table.

"Ya' okay, bro?" Raph asked, grasping Leo's hand and pulling him into a seated position.

"Other than feeling like I was just run over, I'm fine," Leo said. "Mikey?"

Don squatted next to the youngest turtle, happy to see that the wings had disappeared and he was back to normal. Mikey woke with a long groan, holding his head as Don assisted him in standing up.

"What happened? Where's the Jersey Devil?" Mikey asked.

"Raph blew it up," Don said.

Mikey's hand came down fast. "Wait, where's the witch? There was a witch telling that thing what to do."

Tyler nudged the pile of rags with the toe of his shoe. "This is all that's left. I shot her between the eyes."

"You should have thrown water on her," Mikey joked. "'Dorothy, I'm melting!'"

"Yep, you're back to normal," Leo said, hopping off the table.

Behind them the kidnapped people began to stir. "Tyler? Is that you? What happened?"

Rushing to his mom's side, Tyler knelt down and said, "You're safe now, mom. I'll tell you everything later. Rest here for a minute, okay?"

Nodding, the woman closed her eyes and started to rub her forehead. "Give me a few minutes. I've got a massive headache."

The turtles gathered together in a shadowed corner of the chamber as the people woke. Don ran a critical eye over Raph and then reached into his backpack for a gauze pad.

"Hold this against the wounds on your shoulder," Don instructed. "You're still bleeding. I'll have to see to disinfecting those bites as soon as possible."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Raph said and then signaled for Tyler to join them.

"Look, these people don't need to see us," Raph told him. "They ain't in any shape for a long hike either."

"The state police will take forever to find this place," Leo said, looking at Tyler. "Do you think you could lead them back to the Shroud's House? We'll be right there with you, just out of sight."

"Sure," Tyler said. "It'll be light soon and I'll go slowly."

"Then gather them together and let's get moving," Leo said. "We don't need them to get curious and start exploring this cavern."

It turned out that he had little to worry about in that regard. The people were confused and though tired, all were anxious to return to civilization.

Keeping an arm around his mom, Tyler led the way out of the two chambers and into the cavern. Climbing the stairs was the most difficult part and it took nearly an hour to get them all to the hut. The stragglers were too exhausted to realize that those who were helping them weren't human.

After a short rest, Tyler urged everyone to their feet and started them through the woods. It was just coming on dawn, but still dark enough for flashlights. Tyler took the lead with his light showing the way. The turtles marched to either side of the people, using their flashlights to keep them in a straight line.

When he reached the area where the Shroud's House was located, Tyler gasped and came to a quick stop. The turtles ran up to see what had drawn his attention.

The neat little house was gone, replaced by a ramshackle dwelling that was barely standing. Part of its roof had fallen in, the door was missing, as were many of the outer boards.

There was no garden, only weeds and overgrown bushes.

"What happened?" Tyler asked.

"I think what we experienced was something called a 'glamour'," Don said. "It's what the witch used to make herself appear to be a little girl. With her magic vanquished, everything has gone back to normal."

"The house must have been window dressing," Leo said. "A lure for unsuspecting people who were probably drawn here looking for the house in the legend."

"Tyler, honey, these people can't go much farther," Mrs. Jaffey called out, helping a woman to sit down. "Your friends should go for help."

"Let me check the house," Don said. "If it's stable enough, they can wait inside for the police. I'll radio Elliott to send the state police here."

He and Leo made their way to the house, with Leo using his blades to clear a path. After determining that the house was still fairly sturdy, Don used the ham radio to reach Elliott and then gave him the information to pass along to the police.

Before they left the house, Don and Leo dragged the remains of the two dead people around to the backyard. Then the turtles moved out of sight as Tyler guided the people inside. Once there they all dropped to the floor, too tired to remain standing.

"Mom, you need to stay here with these people until the police come," Tyler said. "My friends and I will hike back to Elliott's and make sure the police know exactly where to go."

"Tyler, I don't . . . ." Mrs. Jaffey began.

"Please, mom," Tyler said, cutting her off. "You're too tired to keep going and these people need your help. Besides, when will you get a better chance to interview them?"

"My boy," Mrs. Jaffey said, cupping her son's cheek. "Quite the grownup. Thank you for finding me. Please be careful."

"I'll always find you, mom. Be back soon," Tyler promised before leaving.

He found the turtles waiting a few yards from the house. Leo had retrieved their backpacks from inside and handed Tyler his.

"I hope the police arrive soon," Don said. "I don't know how long these people have been without food and water."

"We need to be gone before the police do show up," Leo said. "Once we're on the road, we can phone in an anonymous tip about the two deceased people in the yard. You guys up for a jog?"

"Always," Raph said.

Don took the lead to keep them on course. He stuck to a steady pace, matching his speed to what he knew Tyler could manage.

"So what did I miss while I was taking a siesta?" Mikey asked.

"Only the most epic battle ever," Tyler told him with enthusiasm. "You should have seen Raph! He was going toe to toe against the Jersey Devil. He kicked its butt!"

"I could have done that," Mikey said. "He snuck up on me."

"Uh huh, keep telling yourself that, Mikey," Raph said with a grin.

Michelangelo was still complaining about how his brothers never listened to his warnings when they reached Elliott's house. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and it cast a golden glow over the fallen leaves in his yard.

The porch light was still on and when they entered the house all of the interior lights were ablaze as well.

"Guess he didn't want us stumbling around in the dark," Mikey said as they shed their backpacks.

"Elliott, we're back," Tyler called out as he went towards the kitchen. "We found my mom and she's okay."

"I'm glad to hear that, my boy," Elliott said, coming around the corner from the hallway. He reached out to ruffle Tyler's hair.

Mikey lifted his head to sniff the air. "What's that smell? Is somebody cooking? I could eat."

Leo nudged him in the side. "Forgive my brother. His stomach tends to do a lot of his thinking."

"Hey!" Mikey protested.

"I'm making a nice, big stew," Elliott said. "I also put a kettle on. Would you all like some tea?"

Tyler made a funny noise at the back of his throat and Raph looked at him. The boy was staring up at Elliott, a strange expression on his face.

"Tyler, ya' okay?" Raph asked.

"That's not Elliott!" Tyler shouted.

"What the . . . .?" Raph started forward but Elliott grabbed Tyler and pulled the boy against his chest.

"If you make any sudden moves, I'll snap his neck," Elliott said. "I can escape this body before you ever get to me."

"Hester!" Leo exclaimed.

"Not exactly the body I wanted, but other than the eyes, it's healthy enough," Hester said. "Fortunately my magic allows me sight even through the eyes of the blind. And this one is wealthy! A rich man can get away with so many things."

"You have to know that whatever you're planning is doomed to failure," Leo said. "We'll be able to track you no matter what body you jump into. We can find a way to destroy you."

"Because of your mystic abilities, correct Leonardo?" Hester asked. She glanced at Raph. "I underestimated you. I thought you all brawn but you have a fire inside of you. No one had ever defeated the Jersey Devil before now."

Raph snorted derisively. "Our enemies have a bad habit of underestimating us. You're doing it right now. Just where the hell do ya' think you're gonna go? We're at a stalemate."

Hester began pulling Tyler towards the door, one arm tightly held against his throat. "As much as it pains me, I will have to abandon this nice house for a time while I make certain preparations. Once I am done, I will be too strong for the four of you."

She yanked open the door and fled through it with Tyler in tow.

"I can track Tyler," Don said. "Raph dropped a homing device on him earlier."

"To hell with that," Raph snarled. "She ain't getting that far."

He bounded for the door. "Raph, wait!" Leo called out.

"I saved him before, I'm not losing him now!" Raph shouted.

Leo raced after him. Mikey grabbed Don's arm. "Wait. I have an idea."

"What idea? There's no time for your games," Don said.

Mikey ran into the kitchen and began pulling open cabinets as though searching for something. "Ah ha! This will do nicely."

He held up a large bucket and took it to the sink. As he began filling it, Don asked, "What is that for?"

"Fairy tales, the original versions, were pretty dark right? But that was 'cause there were lessons in them," Mikey said. "Throwing water on a witch is like purifying them, at least that's what it says in the stories I read. I think that's where they got the idea for the Wizard of Oz."

"Mikey, that's all pure fiction," Don said.

"So what can it hurt?" Mikey countered. "At the least it'll be a distraction."

He started out of the kitchen with the pot, but Don stopped him. "If we're going that route, then let's put something in the water that might actually hurt."

Grabbing the dishwashing liquid, he dumped the entire contents of the bottle into the water. Then he and Mikey went in pursuit of the others.

Up ahead they saw that Hester was dragging a struggling Tyler towards the woods. Hearing the crunch of leaves, she spun around to see the turtles racing after her.

They skid to a halt when she placed both hands on either side of Tyler's jawline.

Leo held up a hand, his gesture placating. "Look, we just want the boy. Let him go and we won't come after you."

Hester shook her head. "Not a good trade."

"If you want to bargain, we can bargain," Don said. "What do you want?"

A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "I will trade the boy for Leonardo," Hester said. "There is still dark magic in the city; it clings to an imposter. With that magic I will place the Master's essence into Leonardo's body. Then we will hunt down you other three turtles so that you can become the Shredder's minions."

"Don't do it!" Tyler screamed.

While her focus was on Leo, Don inched up behind Raph and whispered in his ear. With a slight nod, he began walking off the one side of Leo and Don went to his other side.

"What are you doing? Stay where you are!" Hester ordered, pulling Tyler farther into the woods.

"We ain't working for the Shredder and ya' ain't bringing him back," Raph said. "We've all been willing to die for that cause and that hasn't changed."

"Then you will die and I will use Leonardo's dead body to resurrect my Master," Hester said. "Either way, I win. You do not have the power to defeat me."

With her attention on his brothers, Mikey snuck into the woods and silently crept close to the witch.

"Maybe not, but today is not your day," Leo said. "You don't get to leave here with the boy or with me."

"What are you going to do, attack?" Hester scoffed. "The man Elliott is still in here with me. Harm this body and you harm him."

Tyler's gaze was on Raph, his fright palpable. From the corner of his eye, Raph saw Mikey draw close to the witch, bucket in hand.

Without making a sound, Raph mouthed "Tyler" and then closed his eyes. When he opened them, he saw Tyler mouth back "Okay" and then the boy shut his eyes.

"Hey, witch!" Mikey yelled.

When she spun towards him, Mikey threw the entire bucket of water into her face.

Hester's hands came up in reflex and Tyler bolted, running directly to Raph. Dropping the bucket, Mikey pulled his nunchucks.

"Ahh! Ahh! It burns!" Hester screeched, pawing at her eyes. She began to flail, dropping to her knees as she jabbered incoherently.

Raph pushed Tyler back and moved towards the witch. Leo and Don came forward as well, each prepared to subdue her until they could find a way to force her out of Elliott's body.

It proved unnecessary.

"You horrid turtles! I am done!" Hester howled, lifting her face to the sky. From Elliott's mouth, ears, and eyes flowed a blackish goo and then he collapsed.

"Is she . . . is he . . .?" Mikey started to ask.

Don knelt down and felt for a pulse. "He's alive."

Tyler joined them just as Elliott began to rouse. Reaching for him, Tyler helped Elliott to sit up.

"Are you okay?" Tyler asked.

"Tyler? Are we outside? How . . . how did I get here?" Elliott asked.

"What's the last thing you remember, sir?" Don asked.

Elliott frowned. "Waiting by the ham radio to learn if you had located Michelangelo."

"So you don't remember my call asking that you reach the state police?" Don asked.

"You did? I have no memory of that," Elliott said.

"Donny, you must have been talking to the witch," Leo said.

"Witch? This sounds as if it's going to be quite the story," Elliott said, standing with Tyler's assistance. "One that won't be believed."

"Doesn't mean ya' can't still tell it," Raph said. He clapped Tyler on the shoulder. "Maybe the two of ya' could co-author a book about it."

"Now that sounds like a fine idea," Elliott said.

They walked back to the house. When they were inside, Leo said, "The state police still need to be called. The kidnapped people are back at the Shroud's House. Two of them didn't make it and their bodies are behind the house."

"I'll make that report," Elliott said. "I'm guessing that you four don't plan to be here when the police arrive? I might not be able to see, but I know when someone has a reason to remain anonymous."

"Tyler will be here with ya'," Raph said. "The two of ya' have enough imagination between ya' to come up with some sort of story."

The boy walked the brothers out to their van. Raph turned before climbing into the driver's seat and Tyler threw himself into the turtle's arms, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you, Raphael," Tyler said. "You saved my mom. Again."

"I'll be there for ya' kid, anytime ya' need me," Raph said. When Tyler disengaged, Raph took a small piece of paper from his belt and with the stub of a pencil wrote something on it. Handing it to Tyler, he told the boy, "My number. I hope ya' don't need it for anything other than calling to tell me you're making straight A's."

"You've got a deal," Tyler said.

He stood back as Raph maneuvered the van around and then saluted when the turtles drove off.

Once they were off of the bumpy backroad and on the highway again, Mikey came forward with a matching pair of trench coats and hats.

"The sun is out my brothers," Mikey said, handing all but one of the hats to Don. That hat he stuck on Raph's head. "Dude, you should see your shell! It's all scratched up."

"Yeah? Well at least mine ain't sprouting wings," Raph retorted.

"Wings? What wings?" Mikey twisted his body, trying to see his own carapace.

Leo and Don began laughing. "Oh Mikey, we have so much to tell you," Don said.

"Start talking," Mikey said. "And next time, I'm not warning anybody about anything. You can just learn the hard way."

"Don't we always?" Raph asked.

The End


End file.
